CHAPTER 185: HOW DOES 181 SURNAMED LI GET A 900 MONTHLY TICKET FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES?

The following days were filled with joy, as Qin Xi drove everyone to visit Qinhuangdao, where they saw Shanhai Pass and gazed upon the ancient stele inscribed with "a scoop and more."

Before the stele faced toward the vast sea, Mr. Li took a deep breath and asked Qin Zhen, who was hopping around, "Qin Zhen, what do you think ’a scoop and more’ means?"

Qin Zhen pondered over these characters and eventually ventured a guess: "Could it mean that the sea is just a scoopful of water? But how large must a scoop be to contain it all!"

Qin Xi felt quite helpless regarding her brother, but Li Xianglu knew the meaning of the saying. Qin Zhen’s interpretation wasn’t wrong, just a different perspective.

Mr. Li chuckled and said, "Hmm, that’s not bad, Qin Zhen is quite perceptive. Isn’t it just saying that the sea is as much as a scoop of water? To an Emperor, it is indeed just a scoop of water."

Confused by the praise for his wild guess, Qin Zhen laughed gleefully. Mr. Li then turned to quiz his granddaughter, knowing her interest in history and archaeology. He asked Xiangxiang with a smile, "Come, explain it for us."

Li Xianglu smiled and began, "If the water, even just ’a scoop and more,’ accumulates in the profound abyss, forming the unfathomable ocean, then dragons, fish, and turtles shall be born from here, and treasures will breed from these depths. It means the vastness of the sea is the result of accumulating ’a scoop and more’ of water; the abundance of marine life is the nourishment from ’a scoop and more.’"

She then explained the origin of the phrase.

Qin Zhen stood there, stunned, "You learned this at school too?"

Li Xianglu raised an eyebrow, "No, why would I study this when we have the same major?"

Irritated, Qin Zhen retorted, "You, a finance major, why do you know so much?" She made him feel like a fool.

Li Xianglu admired Qin Zhen’s ability to make a fuss over nothing and soothed him, "Actually, what you said wasn’t wrong either. When the Emperor says the sea is ’a scoop and more,’ he also means that his heart is broad and open, that the ocean is to him but a scoopful of water in his eyes."

Qin Zhen paused, then realized, had he explained it that way? Well, yes, suddenly feeling better about himself. Not reading books didn’t matter; he was clever, correctly guessing without even knowing.

Qin Xi shook his head and continued walking with Li Xianglu.

In the next few days, they watched pigeons, indulged in lots of seafood, and before leaving, Li Xianglu secretly bought hundreds of dollars worth of fish, prawns, and crabs to keep in her Storage Ring, planning to occasionally make some soup.

On the eighth morning, with their things packed, the group headed to the restaurant for breakfast. They had seafood congee, and Li Xianglu happily ate, savoring her last meal there. Yet, she was excited about the seafood she’d secretly purchased. Qin Xi, on the other hand, publicly bought four or five jin of dried sea cucumbers, wild ones, spending over five hundred, which would probably cost tens of thousands in the future.

These creatures are full of collagen, polypeptides, anti-aging agents, good for reinforcing energy, aiding digestion, and blood production; they are treasures all over!

She recalled how a roommate from Dalian mentioned that their locals begin eating sea cucumbers on Dongzhi, one each day for a total of eighty-one days - a prime winter tonic.

Touching her smooth cheeks, Li Xianglu resolutely decided to start nourishing herself back home, one sea cucumber per person per day.

After breakfast, Mr. Li and Qin Xi thanked the dean, then set off to leave.

Just as everyone was about to get into the car, a white-haired old man with a cane approached.

Everyone paused to watch as the elderly man walked up to Li Huai Ren, giving him several earnest looks. Li Huai Ren was utterly perplexed. Who was this man? An old comrade-in-arms? Someone who recognized him?

The old man shook his head and mumbled, "Yes, indeed, they do look alike!"

Li Xianglu stepped forward out of curiosity, "Grandpa, what are you talking about? Who does my grandpa resemble?"

Mr. Li sized up Li Xianglu with some confusion and asked, "Are you his granddaughter?"

Li Xianglu glanced at her grandfather, smiled, and replied, "Yes, I am his granddaughter. Do you know my grandpa?"

The old man inquired, "What’s your last name?"

Li Xianglu did not hide anything and answered with a smile, "Li."

Upon hearing the surname Li, the old man’s brow furrowed deeply. He shook his head determinedly and said, "No, no, how can it be Li? Shouldn’t it be Zhou?"

Right at that moment, a nurse came to assist the peculiar old man away. Li Xianglu laughed, turned around to get in the car, but then saw her grandfather’s face turn pale as he leaned on the car door.

Li Xianglu, frightened, hurried around the car and exclaimed, "Grandpa, grandpa! Are you okay? What happened?" she said, running over and gently supporting him by the chest.

Qin Xi was also startled and quickly got out of the car to check. They saw Mr. Li wave his hand and say, "I’m fine; it’s just that I’ve been tired from playing these past few days." Then he got into the car.

However, Li Xianglu didn’t believe it. He was perfectly lively at breakfast; how could he suddenly claim to be tired? It was clearly what that old man had said earlier that had upset grandpa.

Qin Xi frowned and shook her head, whispering, "Don’t ask now, get in the car first, we’ll talk when we’re back." After saying this, Qin Xi looked back at the old person who stood at the entrance of the sanatorium, watching them.

Who was that old man? He said Grandpa Li shouldn’t be surnamed Li? But Zhou instead?

What did this mean?

On the way back, even Qin Zhen didn’t dare make much noise; Mr. Li’s face looked particularly unwell. Li Xianglu was so frightened that she fed him a heart pill before daring to let the car continue on its way.

Qin Xi looked in the rearview mirror at Mr. Li, who kept frowning in the backseat, wondering who exactly that old man was.

The car drove straight back without stopping, and before twelve o’clock, they arrived at the courtyard house. Qin Xi went to return the car, while Li Xianglu hurriedly helped Mr. Li back to bed to rest, asking whether he needed a doctor. But Mr. Li, with a weary face, said, "Xiangxiang, go out for a while and let grandpa have some peace. I’m fine, I’ll call you if anything comes up. Don’t call me for lunch either, I’m really tired; I’ll be better after a rest."

Li Xianglu really wasn’t reassured, but Mr. Li insisted, so helplessly, she half-closed the door behind her as she went out. She got Qin Zhen settled to watch TV outside, and then she started cooking.

When the food was ready, Qin Xi came through the door. She glanced at the dishes on the table and then at her brother watching TV. She gave Li Xianglu a look.

Li Xianglu hurriedly came out, and the two of them walked to the doorway. Then Qin Xi quietly asked, "Is everything okay?"

Li Xianglu replied with some difficulty, "He says he wants some quiet. He doesn’t want to have lunch. But what’s really going on?"

ps: I have work tomorrow, so this is as far as I can go. I owe the rest, but I will definitely finish it! I swear by the grilled meat!